Friday, 28 December 2007

So many different things have happened. And I wish I could have captured all of them in this blog. That way I can look back and say 'hey, I did that didn't I? hmm that was fun'.

But I guess I didn't want to bore everyone with anecdotes on how my Final Fantasy characters were leveling up (which I think is a blog worthy achievement)

But for now, lemme do a recap on some of the things that was 2007.

January

2007 actually started a few weeks early for me. Around December 06, when my girlfriend told me that she'll be be working far far away from me. Well.. i dunno if its that far. 420 kilometres is closer than being inter-state or overseas. But its not close enough for bootie calls me to visit her at frequently.

So my year started off with an emotional roller coaster of not knowing what will happen between us. Everything had that bitter sweet taste. Happy she's moving on to the next chapter in her professional life and sad and worried of what was to happen to us.

Mr Strong and girlfriend - Margaret River

January was also the month I moved in with my brother. It was a temporary arrangement because bro was planning to rent out the house later this year. So I only did a partial move.

It was hard not knowing where home was.

It was a difficult month (especially when it was the month I started the 'no fast food diet').

February

So now there's 400km separating me and my girl.

And I guess guys, when left alone, end up playing around.

Long distance relationship

This is how my affair started.

With Sasha.

My shiny black Nintendo DS :PHehehe. I'm such a kid.

Sasha was suppose to keep me occupied for the long bus rides to Geraldton.

The look anyone would make if forced to watch VHS during bus rides

What my girlfriend didn't anticipate was for me to get so attached to Sasha.

When my girlfriend is not around, Sasha lies next to me when I sleep.

And I know Sasha loves me.

She says I have very good hands.

March

Beginning of the footy tipping season. Nice to know for the second year running, I got 1 point again for the first round of games.

March was a month spent mostly catching up with friends.

Looking back in my Inbox, I find a large chunk of emails debating on where to eat.

It's the month I first organised the Man Dinners TM.

The purpose was to save myself from my own cooking without the expense of fancy restaurants (which girls are akin to). Luckily for me, the man dinners turned out to be a good bonding sesh. We were exchanging stories about cars and massages with happy endings.

My sis and me after my bro's graduation. I still don't get what's so good about Oxford 130

April

My parents left for manila and Japan leaving the big house for me to take care of.

Party!! Right?!

Wrong.

It was pretty much cooking and cleaning and walking the dog everyday. It got creepy when I heard noises outside and the dog started barking. Maybe watching those horror movies was not a good idea after all.

My girl and the girls.

Upside was a few pizza nights where I got to pig out. And no one knew about it.

Ben & Ivy's engagement. I didn't have any pics of the newly engaged!

This month also saw a very messy night at Kim's birthday party. There was a moment when all the girls were synchronised vomiting in the toilet. Nice.

May

Went to Dunsborough and enjoyed time with my sister and family. Caught a salmon!

This month also saw me cook my first ever Japanese curry. It was so good! Tasted like the ones served in cheap Japanese restaurants. Yummy trans-fat. :P

I also tried boxercising with Ajay on Thursday nights. It's good fun, I'd continue it if I could, but all the jogging and jumping was really messing up my knees.

NovemberOne word.

SexyBack.(or is that two words?)

Justin Justin! Justin! (have babies with me)!

Yay! There was a whole weekend when radio stations played nothing but Justin. The concert was awesome and I had a great time even though nauseated by something I ate and all the screaming I was doing.

Our love was deep

Me and Somnang took part in singing during Leelis's wedding. I think Somnang was drunk. I, on the other hand, was inspired by Justin! Hopefully we didn't take away too much thunder from the newly weds.

The month was finished off with the Movember Pub crawl. Our group went from pub to pub harassing the locals with our fake moustaches. The aim of the crawl was to visit at least six pubs. We stopped after three. Nobody wanted to buy rounds at the more expensive pubs!

December

December has just been a big blur of Christmas dinners and lunches. It seems like all I've been doing is eat all of this month.

Sooo good, yet sooo bad

I'm glad I got my shopping all sorted out nice and early this year (unlike my brother who was still shopping Christmas eve) That way things didn't get too hectic (except during the wrapping)

I'm really thankful for all my presents. I love it all. :)

Also thankful to the person who invented air conditioning! Damn its been hot! 44C!!! My car recorded 47C on Boxing day!

How about we just not have gift giving, carols and snow and Santa Claus and fruit cakes and cards and ham and eggnog and Britney Spears and Emos and HD-DVD and Australian Idol and Playboy magazine and tomatoes and goats and $400 shoes and vegetarians and politicians and beautiful people and smelly socks and ugly dogs because I'm sure its going to offend someone eventually.

Some people just take it too far.

They should just all make gingerbread men (not people), chillax and enjoy the festive season.

Tuesday, 18 December 2007

I haven't played it at all, so I can't bag it too much. It just seems so slow and poshy.

Plus it requires too much walking.

Now I appreciate that it takes tremendous amount of skill to get that dimpled white ball in a hole hundreds of yards away. Plus you have to do it in as few shots as possible. Still, it just doesn't look fun.

I just like to launch that ball and see how far it goes. Thats my kind of golfing! :P

My brother was given a set of golf clubs for his birthday and was keen to get me 'swinging' with him (that sounds almost wrong).

Sadly, you actually have to play a few holes of golf to ride these babies

So we got ourselves a bucket of balls each at a nearby golf range and spent an afternoon admiring how far we could get yellow golf balls flying.

And flying we sent them! Hehehehe.

Of course only two of every five actually got far. Most of the times they curved right and hit the trees. Some flew up a hundred metres only to land ten metres in front :S

My brother had the Michael Jackson thing going on with the one hand glove

Back in the Philippines, I grew up thinking golf was a sport reserved for the filthy rich. Only the snobby rich folks could afford a club membership. But where we went, we had old ladies and bricklayers and teenagers and all sorts of people playing golf and enjoying the range.

Maybe because its not an exclusive club that's why we didn't find any hot and sexy snobby looking golfing babes people. But it definitely changed my perception of the sport. Its for everyone!

I was concentrating so much.. I could have been laying golf balls

Still, I don't think I could ever get myself to actually play a game of golf. I'm sticking with the driving range.. or golf with the Wii.

Dodo WAS good in that they provided an unlimited account - so we could download to our hearts content. But now their plans charge a premium if you go over the quota. So it was time to give them the boot.

I signed up with a new ISP and asked them to churn my account.

Not trusting the happy people at Dodo, I called them up to make sure they won't charge me the next month. I was forwarded to a call centre in Manila. I knew the guy on the other end was pinoy because his American accent sounded like mine (only mine was A LOT LESS ANNOYING).

"What can I do for you ser?""Yes, I'd like to cancel my account..""Ohhhhhhhhhhhh.. okaaay.. let me get your account details pirst..""Okay""Just hold on a moment.. our computer is a bit slow""Yup""Sir.. just a little bit longer the screen is still loading""umm.. yup..""Just a little bit longer sir.. I hope you don't mind waiting a bit more""umm... (is this guy going to even allow me to wait?!! I haven't had a chance to wait yet!)"

Half an hour later they finally told me that the account has been closed and I won't be billed the next month.

*phew*

It took ages because they were telling me that I was contracted for 3 years?! (huh?) and they wanted to charge me $400 cancellation fee? (HUH?!) What da pluck?

I dunno if it was a scam or they were just dis-organised. Maybe it was a bit of both.

Anyways I'm now chugging along with a newer, faster service provider. Everything's been pretty smooth. No more contracts, no more funny bird business.

But yeah, nice story and I'm happy for the guy for having found the girl.Hope it works out for them.

When I was cleaning up my room last week I re-discovered my art stuff. My sketch pad, pencils, gum tape together with a bottle of brushes, my water-paiting palettes and paint tubes all dried up and dusty.

Its depressing that I haven't done something creative of lately.

The last art-related thing I made was a cartoon eggplant fridge magnet. my purple creation

And I recently found out that the magnet has fallen off and the eyes have diffused so the eggplant looks like it has glaucoma!! :(

I guess if i'm to make something I gotta make sure it stands the test of time.

Even today, my mom still has the very first 'love card' that my dad made for her.

Yeah - I know, im shocked too!

Not because it's terribly romantic, but because I discovered my dad's drawing skills is sooo bad!My two year old nephew could draw better!! :P hehehe.

Maybe they didn't have cute cartoons back in them days. Only stick figures.. and two colours of crayons.

But yeah, I want to go back to doodling. Real drawing or painting or something.

The only doodling I've done lately is on my Nintendo DS.

A game called Drawn to Life lets you draw your own hero. I haven't played much of it, butits quite amusing seeing my pumpkin head creation with octopus legs walkingaround fighting bad guys.

I guess that can be my new year's resolution. Paint or draw something that I can frame.

Choosing the topic is the hard part.Maybe I can find something from my travels.